Life-saving suit.



I. GRUDZIENSKI.

LIFE SAVING SUIT.

APPLICATION FILED on. 26. I916.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I- gvwe'nwz 11 GRUDZIENSKI. L

LIFE SAVING sun.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26' I9l6.

2 SHEETFSHEET 2 characters refer to JOSEPH GRUDZIENSKI, F TOLEDO, OHIO.

LIFE-SAVING SUIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2?, 191W.

Application filed October 26, 1916. Serial No. 127,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GRUDzIENsKI, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Saving Suits, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in life saving suits.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a life saving suit that is adapted to cover the. person wearing the same from head to foot with the body, arm and leg portions formed of spaced walls providing an air space while a belt section formed integral with the outer wall surrounds the body section of the garment and is adapted to beinflated with independent inflation means for the belt and garment proper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a life saving suit constructed of water-proof material as rubber or rubberized fabric with a hood section including eye openings, a breathing opening and a ventilator, and an improved construction of overlapping front connection which will exclude water from the interior of the suit.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a life saving suit constructed in accordance with the present invention, the same being partly shown in section to illustrate the air compartments between the several walls.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on line l[ITI of Fig. 1 showing the double-wall construction with the wire reinforce for the inflated belt section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line TIT-III of Fig. 1, showing the hood construction of the suit and the ventilating means therefor.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line TVIV of Fig. 1 showing the eye and mouth openings in the hood section.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 1 showing the fastening between the overlapping closure sections of the garment, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the underlying closure section of the suit front.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates the leg portions of the suit formed integral with the body section including front portions 11 and 12, while arm portions 13 are carried by the shoulders of the body section while a head covering or hood 14 is formed integral with the body section. As shown more clearly in Fig. 1, the legs, body and arm sections are of double wall construction including inner walls 15 and outer walls 16 thereby providing an air space which is filled with air through the valve controlled opening 1, in the breast portion of the suit.

The front sections 11 and 12 of the suit are connected together as more clearly indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, as by the usual form of glove fastener including the stud 18 carried by the section 11 and the socket 19 carried by the overlapping section 12. As shown in Fig. 6, the section-11 is provided with a pair of spaced longitudinal ribs 20 at opposite sides of the row of studs 18 while the adjacent face of the section 12 is provided with longitudinal grooves 21 adapted for the'reception of the ribs to insure a substantially water and air tigrht connection be tween the overlapping ont sections 11 and 12.

The hood 14 of the suit is preferably of single wall construction and includes the neck portion 22 while the front wall thereof is provided with a screened opening 23 adjacent the mouth of the wearer and eye openings closed by glass or mica as at 24 while the upper forward portion thereof is of increased cross sectional area as at 25 within which a cylindrical openin is formed for the reception of the tube 26 w ich has a screened vent opening 27 in its upper end for purposes of providing in combination with the mouth opening 23 circulation as may be required. A signal flag 28 is journaled at one of its ends upon the tubular member 26, such journal bearing including rings 29 surroundin the member 26 and arranged adjacent t e annular flange 30' and the tube cap 31.

A belt section is formed integral with the body portion of the suit and includes a wall 32 spaced from the outer wall 16 and connected thereto by the upper and lower walls 33. Reinforcing wires 34 are arranged within the interior of the belt section and are embedded in the beads 35 formed integral with the opposed walls of the portions 16 and 32. With this wire reinforce, the wall 32 is held at all times spaced from the wall 16 and by means of the valve 36 in the belt, the same may be inflated when desired.

In placing the suit on the body, the front sections 11 and 12 are separated by releasing the connection as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and the legs of the user placed in the leg portions of the suit with the head forced through the neck opening 22, which is of elastic material, and with the arms positioned in the sections 13 the front sections 11 and 12 may be closed and securely fastened as indicated in Fig. 5. It is to be understood that the several double walled sections of the suit may have been previously inflated or else inflated by one who may assist in the correct positioning of the suit.

What is claimed as new is 1. A life saving suit comprising leg, body and arm sections of double wall construction, a hood section carried thereby, means for inflating the double wall sections, a mouth opening in the hood section, eye openings therein, the upper end of the hood section being of increased cross sectional area and having a cylindrical opening formed therein, a tubular member mounted in said openlng, a screen covered ventilating opening in the upper end of the tubular member, a signal element carried by the tubular memher, a belt carried by the body portion of the suit, wire reinforcing elements carried by the belt, independent means for inflating said belt, the body portion of the suit including an overlapping closure section, studs carried by the underlying flap of the closure section, longitudinal ribs carried by said flap at opposite sides of said studs, socket members for the reception of said studs carried by the adjacent face of the overlying flap member and longitudinal grooves formed in the adjacent face of the overlapping flap adapted for the reception of the longitudinal ribs whereby a substantially water and air tight connection is presented.

2. A life saving suit having the body portion thereof of double wall construction, inflating means therefor, vent openings carried by the upper end of the body portion, an independently inflated belt section carried by the body portion, and wire reinforcing elements for said belt.

3. A life saving suit including a body portion, an inflated belt carried thereby, the inner walls of the belt being provided with beads, and reinforcing wires embedded in the beads.

4. A life saving suit including a body portion, an inflated belt carried thereby, the inner walls of the belt being provided with endless beads, and endless reinforcing wires embedded in the beads.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

J OSE-PH GRUDZIENSKI. 

